Match report
Japan and Sweden share the points in Group Stage - 3 draw
Japan and Sweden played out a 1-1 draw at AT&T Stadium in a World Cup Group Stage - 3 fixture, with both sides scoring in a lively second half after a goalless first period. The result leaves the scoreline level and shares the spoils between Hajime Moriyasu's side and Graham Potter's Sweden.
AI-assisted match report written from official match data.
The deadlock was broken in the 56th minute when Daizen Maeda struck, converting an assist from Ritsu Dōan to put Japan 1-0 ahead. Sweden responded quickly, drawing level just six minutes later through Anthony Elanga, who finished off a Viktor Gyökeres assist to make it 1-1, a scoreline that held until the final whistle.
Japan controlled more of the ball, with 52 percent possession to Sweden's 48, and edged the expected-goals count 1.21 to 0.64, reflecting a side that pressed the contest without translating dominance into a greater share of shots. Sweden, despite seeing less of the ball, had more attempts on goal, 11 to Japan's 8, and more efforts on target, underlining the visitors' efficiency in transition.
Maeda scored the opener and earned the highest rating on the pitch at 7.9, while Elanga's equaliser and a 7.6 rating made him Sweden's standout contributor.
Sweden managed 11 shots to Japan's 8 despite having less of the ball, highlighting their sharper edge in front of goal.
Japan and Sweden drew 1–1 (half-time 0–0).
Japan met Sweden in the World Cup (Group Stage - 3). Kick-off was Thursday, 25 June 2026, 23:00 UTC at AT&T Stadium. Referee: Iván Barton.
Key moments
- 56' Goal: Daizen Maeda (assist: Ritsu Dōan) — 1–0 · Watch Daizen Maeda's goal video (56')
- 62' Goal: Anthony Elanga (assist: Viktor Gyökeres) — 1–1 · Watch Anthony Elanga's goal video (62')
Starting line-ups
Japan (3-4-2-1)
- 1 Zion Suzuki
- 21 Hiroki Ito
- 4 Ko Itakura (c)
- 20 Ayumu Seko
- 13 Keito Nakamura
- 15 Daichi Kamada
- 7 Ao Tanaka
- 2 Yukinari Sugawara
- 11 Daizen Maeda
- 10 Ritsu Dōan
- 18 Ayase Ueda
Sweden (3-4-3)
About this match
On this page: the Japan vs Sweden final score and result, goal highlights and video clips of every goal, who scored, starting lineups, match stats and the full match report from this World Cup fixture.
- Who scored and when — a goal-by-goal timeline of the match.
- Match stats — possession, shots, expected goals (xG), corners and cards.
- Starting lineups and player ratings for both teams.
- Head-to-head record and recent form for both sides.
Watch the goals: goal highlights and video clips of every goal from Japan 1–1 Sweden. Explore more on the Japan and Sweden team pages or the World Cup page.
Quick answers
›What was the final score of Japan vs Sweden?
Japan and Sweden drew 1–1 (half-time 0–0).
›Who scored in Japan vs Sweden?
Daizen Maeda (56') for Japan; Anthony Elanga (62') for Sweden.
›Where can I watch Japan vs Sweden highlights?
Goal highlights and video clips from Japan 1–1 Sweden are on this page — open the videos tab to watch every goal.